The PR Function. Program Support Notes by: Helen Voidis B.Eco, Dip. Ed, Cert IV Training and Assessment. Video Education Australasia Pty Ltd 2010

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1 Program Support Notes by: Helen Voidis B.Eco, Dip. Ed, Cert IV Training and Assessment Produced by: VEA Pty Ltd Commissioning Editor: Sandra Frerichs B.Ed, M.Ed. You may download and print one copy of these support notes from our website for your reference. Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act Executive Producer: Simon Garner B.Ed, Dip Management

2 For Teachers Introduction For celebrities and public figures there s something that is worse than being talked about it is of course not being talked about. Businesses rely on being in the public arena to survive and indeed thrive. Most businesses use public relations to increase sales and profits. A media release, a speech at a charity event, a donation or a competition all try to create a favourable image and build a good reputation the key ingredients to the public relations function. This program explores the Public Relations phenomena, the need for crisis management and the impact of technology. Two PR experts, Grant Titmus from Red Agency and Leigh Debbage from Premier PR, share their experiences and knowledge of the PR industry. Timeline 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:20 The PR phenomenon 00:04:51 Understanding publics 00:08:35 The PR campaign 00:12:23 Crisis management 00:16:12 The changing face of PR 00:19:38 Conclusion 00:19:53 Credits 00:20:28 End program Related Titles Financial Management and the Planning Cycle Management Styles Explained Environmental Sustainability in Business A Case Study Small Business Management Series Starting Up Recommended Resources

3 Student Worksheet Initiate Prior Learning 1. In groups of 3 or 4 list the different types of activities your school uses to communicate with parents and the school community. Share these with the rest of the class. (Hint: newsletters, formal assemblies etc). What kinds of things do schools communicate to these external groups? 2. View parts of a movie like Hancock and discuss the image of the superhero, and how this alters throughout the movie. 3. Google search a PR agency and provide a summary of the key features of the organisation. In your answer include the name of the PR Business, where it is located, what services it offers to clients and any other points of interest. 4. Create a word cloud of key PR terms using wordle ( use terms such as publics, publicity, public relations, public image, crisis management etc. 5. Collect two newspaper articles that relate to public relations activities and provide a summary of each. The articles can relate to celebrities, small or large businesses, or government bodies. 3

4 Active Viewing Guide 1. What does Public Relations consist of? 2. Differentiate between Advertising and Public Relations. 3. Explain the phrase PR is the art of persuasion. 4. Define the term publics and give an example. 5. Outline the types of product that would target stay at home mothers. 6. Discuss what a small PR campaign might focus on to promote a local MP in a forthcoming election. 4

5 7. Describe the role of a PR agency in the launching of a new product on the market. 8. What principle should a PR campaign follow? 9. Identify and explain the most common measurement tool in the PR industry. 10. How would you define a public relations crisis? Include examples in your answer. 11. Toyota is a company that has experienced a number of product recalls for its vehicles. How has the company handled this crisis? 5

6 12. Discuss the tactics of an effective crisis management campaign. 13. How has technology impacted PR methods? Provide at least three impacts. 14. Explain the social responsibility of companies in relation to PR. 15. Name two practices in public relations that could be considered socially irresponsible. 6

7 Extension Activities 1. In groups of three or four design and develop a public relations campaign to promote the public image of a local business. Consider the client s current image and offer suggestions of strategies to improve it. Present your campaign using a visual presentation such as PowerPoint to the class. 2. The local newspaper has reported that a group of students from your school have been caught shoplifting. In pairs develop a step by step process of how to handle this issue to minimise the damage it could cause to the reputation of the school. Use a written report format to document your crisis management plan. 3. Debate the topic: Public Relations spin doctors or valuable business tool? 4. Research three public relations companies through their websites and compare the similarities, differences and any unique features of each website. Comment on the range of clients each agency has and decide which of the three companies is your most preferred, giving reasons for your choice. 5. In groups prepare a media release of about 300 words for one of the following PR campaigns: The launch of a new range of Dolce and Gabbana perfumes that use a celebrity such as Matthew McConaughey. A local council event or attraction, such as a festival, launch of a recycling program or twilight markets, to raise the profile of the council. 6. Investigate the value of a sponsorship agreement for the following businesses: Toyota who are a major sponsor of the AFL Kia Motors and the Australian Tennis Open McDonalds, who sponsor a range of sporting activities and Ronald McDonald House Any other small or large businesses that you are familiar with. a) Prepare a visual or written report that identifies the public relations value in these activities think image, reputation, increased brand exposure and sales. 7

8 Suggested Student Responses Active Viewing Guide 1. What does Public Relations consist of? PR consists of a variety of activities undertaken by both individuals and organisations intended to promote a positive relationship between them and the public. 2. Differentiate between Advertising and Public Relations. Advertising uses paid television, paid radio slots and space in newspapers and magazines. The advertiser has control over when, where and how the message is presented as it is a paid message. Public relations on the other hand uses the space and time provided free often by third parties such as well-known personalities and celebrities to create publicity. Timing and content cannot always be controlled by the business. 3. Explain the phrase PR is the art of persuasion. PR is all about influencing people s behaviour and improving the reputation of the business through a series of planned communication strategies and activities. PR can be effective in shaping the opinions of its target audience through attracting media coverage that is not paid for. 4. Define the term publics and give an example. The target audience or groups the organisation interacts with and has a strong interest in, or impact on e.g. consumers, competitors, the media etc. 5. Outline the types of product that would target stay at home mothers. Examples could include: Magazines Kitchen items Supermarket specials 6. Discuss what a small PR campaign might focus on to promote a local MP in a forthcoming election. A small campaign might focus just on local newspapers and letter drops or it could utilise national television, billboards and online social media to spread its communication and information about the local MP. 7. Describe the role of a PR agency in the launching of a new product on the market. The PR agency could tailor a specific campaign for the product launch. The campaign would start from the client briefing then explore ways to reach the target audience or publics. The product could be launched by giving away free samples in public areas, or running fun events that attract media attention. 8. What principle should a PR campaign follow? A PR campaign should follow the SMART principle it must be specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely. 9. Identify and explain the most common measurement tool in the PR industry. Return on Investment - a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment in a PR campaign e.g. analysis of sales around the dates of a campaign. 8

9 10. How would you define a public relations crisis? Include examples in your answer. A public relations crisis is an unexpected event that can have adverse consequences on the business or individual e.g. product recall or a member of a sports team arrested by the police. 11. Toyota is a company that has experienced a number of product recalls for its vehicles. How has the company handled this crisis? Many critics believe that Toyota has been too slow to react to vehicle problems, which have lead to the car recalls in the first place. Toyota gradually revealed the flaws of its products which only intensified the concerns of the public and portrayed the company as having something to hide; this affected both its image and reputation in the marketplace. 12. Discuss the tactics of an effective crisis management campaign. An effective crisis management campaign should deal openly with the problems it is facing. The publics or target audience should be continually informed of what is happening and this should be done quickly to reduce the scrutiny of the media that will inevitably surround the crisis. 13. How has technology impacted PR methods? Provide at least three impacts. Technology has changed the face of PR forever. A story, whether it is a publicity stunt, a scandal or just a general release, can now travel around the world in seconds through facebook, twitter and s. PR agencies now employ specialist online strategists who monitor the behaviour of web users. Social media is growing day by day and PR agencies have to adjust to this and use ICT tools to their advantage, as well as deal with the negatives that can be associated with this new media. 14. Explain the social responsibility of companies in relation to PR. Companies have a social responsibility to ensure that their communications are safe, factual and balanced. 15. Name two practices in public relations that could be considered socially irresponsible. Answers will vary but may include: Offering gifts to journalists for story placement. Spreading rumours that will affect customers, employees and other stakeholders. Publishing defamatory stories in newspapers and magazines targeting the reputation of a celebrity, football star, small business etc. 9